Gibbs & Cox, Inc., Edison Welding Institute, and Ingalls Shipbuilding will form an Integrated Program Team to develop a methodology for designing ship structure for increased productivity and reduced welding distortion. A structural design program will be developed that will incorporate criteria for increased productivity and reduced distortion while satisfying other structural design criteria. A parametric analysis using the finite element method will be systematically applied to representative panels of ship structures, producing guidelines indicative of the ranges of variables likely to result in buckling. The effect of these parameters on ship design and on ship production will be assessed. The project will proceed in three phases. During Phase I, the feasibility of designing structure for reduced distortion in a manner that will reduce total ship cost will be demonstrated, including a Return-On-Investment analysis to demonstrate that the proposed methodology will have benefit to U.S. shipbuilders of commercial and military ships. The Phase II effort will include developing a working prototype structural design methodology and verification through testing of structural assemblies. During Phase III the methodology will be commercialized through application to several ship design programs, and by marketing to ship designers and shipbuilders, coordinating this commercialization with MARITECH ASE.
Benefits: The proposed project addresses improved productivity in fabrication of ship structures through design to eliminate the buckling that occurs during fabrication. The objectives of the proposed project are in line with the objectives of the MARITECH ASE, including those of the Shipyard Production Process Technologies and Product Design and Material Technologies initiatives. Therefore, the results will find ready application in ship design and production of both commercial and military ships.
Keywords: Distortion Design Shipbuilding Processes Affordability Production Manufacturing Structure Distortion Design Shipbuilding Processes Affordability Production Manufacturing Structure
